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The Acer Aspire 5745PG-5464G32Mn is an update of an existing Acer mid-price laptop, which adds a power boost in the form of a Core i5 processor and Nvidia Optimus technology.

Little else has changed, with the same chassis and touchscreen as the Acer Aspire 5745PG-354G32Mn present. However, we liked the strong build quality and usability of the previous model, and as they say, why fix what isn' t broken.

We Liked

The Core i5 processor is an excellent performer at this price, with enough power to dispatch any task thrown at it. Combined with the dedicated nVidia graphics card, it' s possible to run almost any multimedia task and even play the latest games.

However, that extra power isn' t wasted when simply browsing the web or firing off an email, thanks to Nvidia' s Optimus technology. The dedicated GPU is powered down when it isn' t needed, conserving battery power when you' re on the move.

As with the Acer Aspire 5745PG-354G32Mn, we found build quality and usability were excellent. The chassis is dependably solid, while the keyboard and touchpad are comfortable to use and responsive.

Features were mostly strong, with the inclusion of Bluetooth 3.0 and plenty of ports. We also liked the Acer Aspire 5745PG' s display, which was pleasingly sharp.

We Disliked

However, although the Acer Aspire 5745PG' s screen is good, the touchscreen controls are a little gimmicky and unlikely to be used very often. The TouchPortal software is well made but ultimately offers little to keep you coming back. The display is also highly reflective, making it difficult to see outdoors or in bright conditions.

Although we loved the flat keyboard, it won' t suit all tastes. Try before you buy, just to be sure.

Verdict

Anyone looking for a family laptop that' ll keep the kids entertained and have enough power to handle even highly demanding software should definitely consider the Acer Aspire 5745PG. Ignore the gimmicky touchscreen and you have a powerful, well-built laptop that' ll last.